New Series: The Word
John 1:1 ESV
As we begin (a new beginning) study today we will be learning about what God has to say to us through specific words from scripture.
We need to affirm and understand how important words are…
In college I majored in Communication (Speech) and I learned that words, especially using the right words is very important.
Words convey thought and feelings.
Words give depth to our world.
Words make it possible for us to share our ideas and intentions.
According to Oxford Language words have, “a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed.”
Another way of looking at it is that a single word can change everything.
Today’s word is a perfect example.
Beginning. The Beginning. In the Beginning.
It tells us where it all started.
In John 1:1, we are told,“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
One of the most interesting facts about John’s words is that with one word God spoke and breathed life into existence.
Even before the beginning the Word was. That thought in and of itself is mind blowing. The Greek name for the Word is Logos. According to the Lexham Bible Dictionary, Logos is ““a concept word in the Bible symbolic of the nature and function of Jesus Christ. It is also used to refer to the revelation of God in the world.” Logos is a noun that occurs 330 times in the Greek New Testament. Of course, the word doesn’t always—in fact, it usually doesn’t—carry symbolic meaning. Its most basic and common meaning is simply “word,” “speech,” “utterance,” or “message.”
The WORD is a message from God.
The Word has always been, always will be, with God and in God.
At the appointed time the Word was revealed and in the fullest extent of the Word we came to understand creation, salvation, and even the revelation of what will be.
In that sense, the Word is eternal…ever-creating, ever-saving, ever-revealing. While there is a beginning to what we know and can see and touch, there is no beginning to what is eternal.
That explanation goes beyond what man can explain or understand.
In I John 3:2 we are given another view of the beginning from The Message, “But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own.”
It’s the eternal now in Christ that opens the door to being in the moment.
“The sacrament of the present moment” helps us to realize we are in this moment. In a very real sense, this moment is Holy. Every moment is Holy because we are IN God through Jesus. (Refer to Devotional Classics by Richard Foster)
In a very real sense that gives every moment of our lives purpose and peace. We do not need to wait for tomorrow to be better. We don’t have to think about what we’ve done or we haven’t done.
That’s because this moment is the beginning.
This moment is eternal.
This moment is Holy and Sacred.
God/Jesus/Spirit is in this moment.
Now and forever we share this moment together.
It’s mind-blowing really. When we embrace this moment we are set free to live in this moment. We have no regrets. We do not need to worry about tomorrow.
We HAVE this moment and it IS sacred.
Plus (and this is the part that gives blessing after blessing after blessing) every single moment is with God/Jesus/Spirit through all eternity.
…try to wrap your head around that. For now, we’ll start with one moment. One beginning.
Spiritual Practice: Beginning
Take one moment and let it be a beginning. It’s just you and God/Jesus/Spirit. BE in that moment.
In God, Deborah
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